closetojesus.org » Bible Versions

For We Are Not as Many

Mike — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 12:49:05 +0000

I read an article, on John McTernan’s blog, the other day about the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. The article was not about 2 Corinthians 2:17, but rather about Revelation 13:1. As we discussed the article as a family, we wondered how the new versions rendered 2 Corinthians 2:17.

Here is the verse from the King James Bible:

For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. — 2 Corinthians 2:17 (KJV)

Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God. — 2 Corinthians 2:17 (NIV)

Here is the verse from the New American Standard Bible:

For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.– 2 Corinthians 2:17 (NASB)

The key difference is the following phrase:

KJV - corrupt the word of God

NIV – peddle the word of God for profit

NASB - peddling the word of God

Why the difference? Could it be that the translators for the NIV and NASB could not identify themselves with those who corrupt the word of God?

God bless, Mike

King James vs. NIV? – Precept upon Precept vs. Do and Do

Mike — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 20:17:03 +0000

My wife and I were discussing Isaiah 28:9-10 this morning. This is a verse about teaching your children about God. It is in the context of fallen Ephraim. (Ephraim had strayed from their former glory. Ephraim had fallen because both the people and the priests were drunkards.) Could it be they had forgotten to teach their children God’s truth?

Our discussion then went to the devastating consequences of modern Bible versions, such as the New International Version (NIV). Could it be that our children have not been taught rightly because of watered-down Bibles like the NIV?

Let’s compare Isaiah 28:9-10 from the King James Bible (KJV) with the NIV.

First the King James:

Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

Next, the NIV:

Who is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining his message? To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken from the breast?

For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there.

The footnote to verse 10 in the NIV does even more damage to the verse:

Hebrew / sav lasav sav lasav / kav lakav kav lakav (possibly meaningless sounds; perhaps a mimicking of the prophet’s words also in verse 13

I would say that the NIV does a good job of rendering Verse 10 meaningless.

The footnote, in the NIV, also mentions Verse 13. Here is verse 13 from the King James Bible.

But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. — Isaiah 28:13 (KJV)

This verse states that these people will be judged by the word of the LORD. It is not some meaningless sounds as the footnote indicates. It is the word of the LORD!

Compare the two verses for yourself. The meaning is very different! Be careful and avoid the modern versions of the Bible. God preserved his word in the King James Bible.

God bless, Mike

Filthy Rags

Mike — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 15:12:04 +0000

I was remembering a church service from several years ago. Something happened in that service that proved to me the importance of having the pure word of God. It was near the beginning of worship when a man stood up and read the following verse from his Bible.

For all of us have become like one who is unclean,
And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;
And all of us wither like a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
take us away.

Isaiah 64:6 (NASB)

My family is sitting with me in the same row. It was all the children could do to keep from laughing when they heard the phrase “like a filthy garment” in this verse. You see, they were all following along in their Bibles. Here is what they were reading.

But we are all as an unclean thing
and all our righteousnesses as filthy rags;
and we all do fade as a leaf;
and our iniquities, like the wind,
have taken us away.

Isaiah 64:6 (KJV)

They heard the phrase “like a filthy garment” but they were reading the phrase “as filthy rags.” They instantly realized the absurdity of the words that were spoken. (It nearly made us all laugh!) I see this as a sad thing in that Isaiah 64:6 expresses the futility of the human condition without the Lord Jesus Christ as our savior. “Filthy rags” is a very different picture than “a filthy garment.”

To be certain, I discussed this with my family when we got home. I had already spent much time studying what Bible version we would use in my household and had decided on the King James Bible. I am convinced that it is the pure word of God for English-speaking people. All the rest of the versions are bible babble.

The reason I feel that the above example is so powerful is that even the children saw the clear difference and they realized which one was superior. The people of the Church do err greatly when they don’t place their trust in the pure word of God.

God bless, Mike